What would you do if you had £45m to spend on the riverfront?

Come rain or shine, joggers, dog walkers and families are often thronging Londonderry's quayside.

The riverfront along the River Foyle is always a popular spot – but now those who love it and use it are being asked a £45m question: What would you do if you had all that money to spend on it?

More colour and public art. Seating areas. Activities for kids. Picnic benches. These were some of the ideas coming out along the quay on an overcast morning/afternoon in March.

There was mixed reaction in Derry when BBC News NI asked those taking stroll along the waterfront, with some people, like Pauline Doherty, saying she'd like to see it look "nicer and more welcoming" while others said the money could be better used elsewhere.

The £45m earmarked for the riverfront is part of the wider City Deal package of more than £300m.

Derry City and Strabane District Council described the money as "transformative" for one the city's primary public spaces and are formally asking people how it should be spent.

According to the council, the opportunity is a rare chance to redefine how the city connects with its river.

Joanne Benison, the council's regeneration programme manager, said it's about delivering outstanding public spaces "that people here can take pride in and that will attract visitors from near and far".

But in order to do that, the council needs "meaningful public input".

So what do the people of Derry think?

For Pauline Doherty, it's all about making the most out of the Foyle.

"When you are sitting, you could be looking at boats or children in the water and just making more of the area that they've got.

"The flowers that they put up in the summer are beautiful – it's just making more of it and making it look nicer and more welcoming."

Beth Armstrong was out walking along the quay with her two children - baby Noah, one, and Nancie-Anne, three, and was focussed on the young ones.

"More activities for the kids for the summer months when the weather is nice. More picnic benches and maybe wee play activities and a play park or something. It's a nice enough walk so just more for the kids to do."

Ava Dreyer wanted more colour.

"A bit more public art would also go a long way to making it a bit more appealing to people who walk this area every day or visit the area for holidays."

She also said picnic areas and more space for bikes and walkers, due to it currently getting "a bit cramped and busy", would be useful.

However, not everyone thought the money was needed for the riverfront.

"Personally I think it's a class spot to be out walking in already," said Abi Savage, a student at the nearby Ulster University.

"I think the money could be pumped into something better like our roads. Our roads are a mess at the minute."

Her friend and fellow Magee campus student Lauren Smiley also wanted the focus elsewhere.

"People are crying to get into GPs all the time or their dentists. Like why is this not put into public health or even infrastructure and roads.

"Like there's homeless people lying up the street and they're worrying about how nice it looks up on the quay. I don't think it's right to be honest."

Financial journalist Paul Gosling said there were question marks over other major needs in the city.

He cited the planned expansion for the university to grow to 10,000 students, and questions over the funding for that, plus issues with the required road infrastructure too.

Given the parlous state of Stormont's finances, with a projected overspend of £1bn next year, he said there were a lot of potential pitfalls for projects that require a lot of money.

However, he added, the money could be well used give it was a "beautiful riverfront" that "doesn't look as good as it could".

"There's a lot of really quite ugly buildings along here. So I think the general principal of improving the look of the riverfront and making more use of it and bringing the university into contact with the urban centre, those things are really good.

"The question is whether it goes far enough," he said, adding that there may be need to be engagement with the private sector and others to ensure the project is a success.

"A lot of these buildings are so ugly they need to get face lifts – and who's going to pay for that?"

Joanne Benison, from the council, said the riverfront project is "just one part of a wider jigsaw of plans to significantly improve shared spaces and stimulate the regeneration that residents her deserve".

She said people can get in touch online to give their views, with Londonderry Chamber of Commerce chief executive Anna Doherty urging people to get involved.

She said the riverfront was a beautiful natural amenity and it could be developed in many positive ways with promenades and a lot more activities to make more use of the River Foyle. "I'd urge everyone to have their say."